McClures Magazine, Vol. 6, No. 4, March, 1896 | Page 8

by saying, 'You may burn my
body to ashes, and scatter them to the winds of heaven; you may drag
my soul down to the regions of darkness and despair to be tormented
forever; but you will never get me to support a measure which I believe
to be wrong, although by doing so I may accomplish that which I
believe to be right.' And the meeting adjourned."
[Illustration: STUART AND LINCOLN'S LAW OFFICE.
From a photograph loaned by Jesse W. Weik. The law office of Stuart
and Lincoln was in the second story of the building occupied at the
time the photograph was made by "Tom Dupleaux's Furniture Store."
Hoffman's Row, as this group of buildings was called, was used as a
court-house at that date, 1837. The court-room was in the lower story
of the two central buildings.]
If Lincoln did not support measures which he considered doubtful, he
did, now and then, "tack a provision" on a bill to please a friend, as the
following letter, hitherto unpublished, shows:[3]
"SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, August 5, 1837.
"DEAR SIR:
"Mr. Edwards tells me you wish to know whether the act to which your
town incorporation provision was attached passed into a law. It did.
You can organize under the general incorporation law as soon as you
choose.
"I also tacked a provision on to a fellow's bill, to authorize the
relocation of the road from Salem down to your town, but I am not

certain whether or not the bill passed. Neither do I suppose I can
ascertain before the law will be published--if it is a law. Bowling Green,
Bennett Abell, and yourself are appointed to make the change.
"No news. No excitement, except a little about the election of Monday
next. I suppose, of course, our friend Dr. Henry stands no chance in
your 'diggings.'
"Your friend and honorable servant,
"A. LINCOLN."
"JOHN BENNETT, ESQ.
As was to be expected, the Democrats charged that the Whigs of
Sangamon had won their victory by "bargain and corruption." These
charges became so serious that, in an extra session called in the summer
of 1837, a few months after the bill passed, Lincoln had a bitter fight
over them with General L.D. Ewing, who wanted to keep Vandalia as
the capital. "The arrogance of Springfield," said General Ewing, "its
presumption in claiming the seat of government, is not to be endured;
the law has been passed by chicanery and trickery; the Springfield
delegation has sold out to the internal improvement men, and has
promised its support to every measure that would gain a vote to the law
removing the seat of government."
Lincoln answered in a speech of such severity and keenness that the
House believed he was "digging his own grave;" for Ewing was a
high-spirited man who would not hesitate to answer by a challenge. It
was, in fact, only the interference of their friends which prevented a
duel at this time between Ewing and Lincoln. This speech, to many of
Lincoln's colleagues, was a revelation of his ability and character. "This
was the first time," said General Linder, "that I began to conceive a
very high opinion of the talents and personal courage of Abraham
Lincoln."
[Illustration: A STAGE-COACH ADVERTISEMENT, 1834.

This advertisement appeared in the "Sangamo Journal" in April, 1834,
and held a place in the paper through the next three years. As the "Four
Horse Coach" ran through Sangamon town and New Salem, it
doubtless had Lincoln as a passenger now and then, but not often,
probably, for the fare from New Salem to Springfield was one dollar
and twenty-five cents, and walking, or riding upon a borrowed horse,
must generally have been preferred by Lincoln to so costly a mode of
travelling.]
A few months later the "Long Nine" were again attacked, Lincoln
specially being abused. The assailant this time was a prominent
Democrat, Mr. J.B. Thomas. When he had ended, Lincoln replied in a
speech which was long known in local political circles as the "skinning
of Thomas."
LINCOLN'S FIRST REPORTED SPEECH.
No one doubted after this that Lincoln could defend himself. He
became doubly respected as an opponent, for his reputation for
good-humored raillery had been established in his campaigns. In a
speech made in January he gave another evidence of his skill in the use
of ridicule. A resolution had been offered by Mr. Linder to institute an
inquiry into the management of the affairs of the State bank. Lincoln's
remarks on the resolution form his first reported speech. This speech
has been unnoticed by his biographers hitherto; and it appears in none
of the editions of his speeches and letters. It was discovered in the
"Sangamo Journal" for January 28, 1837, by Mr. J. McCan Davis, in
the course of a search through